[DereksMom713]

Disney first: black princess in animated film
‘The Frog Princess’ will be set in New Orleans, scored by Randy Newman

MSNBC News Services

NEW ORLEANS - The Walt Disney Co. has started production on an animated musical fairy tale called “The Frog Princess,” which will be set in New Orleans and feature the Walt Disney Studio’s first black princess.

The film, set for release in 2009, also is the first hand-drawn film Disney has committed to since pledging last month to return to the traditional animation that made it a worldwide brand.

“The Frog Princess,” a musical scored by composer Randy Newman, is “an American fairy tale” starring a girl named Maddy who lives in the French Quarter in New Orleans, said John Lasseter, chief creative director for Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.

Disney did not provide details of the plot, but the company showed shareholders preliminary drawings from the movie. Newman and a jazz band played a song from the movie’s score.

Maddy joins eight other Disney princess characters, who have generated $3 billion in global retail sales since 1999. Disney Princesses is the fastest-growing brand for the company’s Consumer Products division.

Disney introduced its first non-white animated heroine in 1992's “Aladdin”: a Middle Eastern character named Jasmine. Three years later an American Indian princess appeared in “Pocahontas.”

The creation of the Chinese heroine from “Mulan” came in 1998. Other Disney princesses are the main characters from “Cinderella,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid.”

Disney aggregated the eight characters in 1999 under the banner Disney Princesses and has rolled out toys, books, clothing, furniture and other merchandise aimed at girls ages 3 to 8.

Disney chief executive Robert Iger said the company wanted to show its support for New Orleans, only partially rebuilt 18 months after it was flooded by Hurricane Katrina, by holding its annual meeting and setting its newest animated film in the city.

“The film’s New Orleans setting and strong princess character give the film lots of excitement and texture,” Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook said.

John Musker and Ron Clements, who co-directed “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin” and “Hercules” will co-direct the movie. The pair also wrote the story for the film.

Disney first: black princess in animated film - Movies - MSNBC.com

[Daisee]

oohh.. a new princess story.. can't wait!

[unamadreditre]

Rowdy told us about this movie a while ago but I didn't know it was Disney's first black princess.

[lovemysons]

Hey that's pretty cool!

[Kippage]

01. I'm super thrilled hand drawn animation is coming back.

02. It bugs me that it's set in New Orleans. And in the French Quarter of all places.

[Dana]

I love that they are coming out with a new princess and new original story instead of redoing another.

[lovemysons]

Originally Posted by Kippage

01. I'm super thrilled hand drawn animation is coming back.

02. It bugs me that it's set in New Orleans. And in the French Quarter of all places.

Why does it bug you?

[Kippage]

Originally Posted by lovemysons

Why does it bug you?

I think it's more of a famililarity issue. I live 3 hours from New Orleans and visit there often. I know the places, buildings, sights, culture, etc. So it will depend on how Disney recreates the city in the movie. Setting a movie in an actual city that people know is a challenge, because everything has to have a sense of reality to it. Or else it's distracting from the story.

It will be interesting to see if the setting is pre or post Katrina, and how that's handled. Also interesting to see the race relations going on.

[lovemysons]

Originally Posted by Kippage

I think it's more of a famililarity issue. I live 3 hours from New Orleans and visit there often. I know the places, buildings, sights, culture, etc. So it will depend on how Disney recreates the city in the movie. Setting a movie in an actual city that people know is a challenge, because everything has to have a sense of reality to it. Or else it's distracting from the story.

It will be interesting to see if the setting is pre or post Katrina, and how that's handled. Also interesting to see the race relations going on.

Oh, well, I am easily distracted anyway, so, the sense of reality thing probably wouldn't affect me at all. I love it when things are supposed to take place in NYC and they are actually filmed in Canada.

Completely off the subject, I noticed that the Sopranos were supposed to film in my sister's home town, but they got vetoed. I thought it would have been coooool.

[Peppertink]

Very cool! Sense of reality? In a cartoon fairy tale? I'm really looking forward this type of animation! YAY!

[lovemysons]

Originally Posted by packerbeth

I think it's cool that it's New Orleans. It could have been set anywhere, and the show of support is great. Now if they'd donate some money from the proceeds to the rebuildling of the city, that would be even better!

Yes I couldn't agree more. I was thinking that was where they were going with it.

[snow'sfriend]

I'm so happy they're making a black princess. I think it's very important to have a princess from different races since girls grow up watching and idolizing these princesses. Ok maybe I'm looking a litte bit too into this, but I really do believe it's a good decision on Disney's part.

[DereksMom713]

Originally Posted by snow'sfriend

I'm so happy they're making a black princess. I think it's very important to have a princess from different races since girls grow up watching and idolizing these princesses. Ok maybe I'm looking a litte bit too into this, but I really do believe it's a good decision on Disney's part.

I agree. I'm pretty excited that, in an animated way, they're bringing focus back to New Orleans. And, I am SUPER-excited that they're creating an African-American Princess.